YSU hires Shrum as women’s soccer coach

Western Pennsylvania native Brian Shrum has been named Youngstown State’s womens soccer coach, the university announced on Tuesday.

Shrum, who comes from Belle Vernon, has been an assistant coach at Duquesne since 2012. He was named associate head coach of the Dukes in June and helped lead the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 2015.

Shrum replaces Fabio Boateng, who went 7-25-3 in two seasons with the Penguins.

Phantoms’ Abate commits to UN-Omaha

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Phantoms forward Joe Abate has announced his commitment to play for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, following his time in the United States Hockey League.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound left wing calls Bloomingdale, Ill., home and joined the Phantoms last month.

“I picked the University of Nebraska-Omaha because I can see myself flourishing as a hockey player and as a student,” Abate said. “I’m beyond delighted to be going to such a great school in a great city.”

Abate has played one game with the Phantoms this season since being acquired in a trade with the Omaha Lancers on Nov, 21. He has a 1-0-1 line with 14 penalty minutes in 13 USHL games this season with Omaha and Youngstown.

“Our staff and organization is excited for Joe,“ said Phantoms general manager Jason Koehler. “This is a young man that has seen some significant development and improvement in his overall game that last two seasons in the NAHL [Janesville] and in our league and has earned this opportunity and scholarship by doing things the right way and playing a blue-collar type of game.”

Peace Race Foundation appreciation dinner set

AUSTINTOWN

The Youngstown Peace Race Foundation will host its annual appreciation dinner at Rachel’s Restaurant in Austintown at 6:30 tonight.

The organization will donate $11,000 to local charities, including the Beatitude House, St. Vincent DePaul, Youngstown YMCA, YWCA, The Rescue Mission, Fairhaven Special Olympics, Walnut Grove and Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley.

The check presentation will begin at approximately 7:15 p.m.

Russia banned from Winter Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland

Russian athletes will be allowed to compete at the upcoming Pyeongchang Olympics as neutrals despite orchestrated doping at the 2014 Sochi Games, the International Olympic Committee said Tuesday.

The IOC suspended the Russian Olympic committee and IOC member Alexander Zhukov, and also banned Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vilaty Mutko from the Olympics for life. Mutko was the sports minister in 2014 and is the head of the organizing committee of soccer’s next World Cup.

The IOC also imposed a fine of $15 million on the Russian Olympic committee to pay for investigations into the case and toward future anti-doping work.

Oklahoma’s Anderson accused of rape

NORMAN, OKLA.

A woman who filed a petition for a protective order against Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson is accusing him of rape.

The petition filed Monday says the 21-year-old Anderson walked the woman home after she had been drinking on Nov. 16. It says the woman remembers kissing Anderson and vomiting.

The woman says she later recalled Anderson forcing himself on her and “feeling like I couldn’t get away.”

In a statement, Anderson’s attorney, Derek Chance, says the allegations are “patently false” and that Anderson is “shocked and disturbed” by the claims. A hearing on the protective order is scheduled for Dec. 18.